Electrical terminal and connector structure



1941- w. M. JOHNSON ET AL 2,254,040

ELECTRICAL TERMINAL AND CONNECTOR STRUCTURE Filed July 12, 1939 2Sheets-Sheet 1 Fig.1.

Inventors: Wilber MJ'ohhson;

Elmer E) .Isaac; by #WdjMA'fi Their Attorney.

Nov. 25, 1941. W J ON AL 2,264,040

ELECTRICAL TERMINAL AND CONNECTOR STRUCTURE Filed July 12, 1939 2Sheets-Sheet 2 Inverwtfsi Wilber MJohnsorw; ElmevB .Isaac;

TheiPAttoPney.

Patented Nov. 25, 1941 2,264,040 ELECTRICAL TERMINAL an!) CONNECTORSTRUCTURE Wilber M. Johnson, Cleveland, and Elmer B.

Isaac, Cleveland Heights, Ohio, assignors to General Electric Company, acorporation of New York Application -J my 1 2 1939; Serial N 0.. 284,072

4 Claims.

Our invention relates in general to electrical connectors for connectingcurrent supply wires to the terminal elements of an electrical device.The invention is particularly applicable to a terminal and connectorconstruction for relatively high-wattage electric incandescent lampssimilar to the type described and claimed in United States Patents Nos.2,148,314 and 2,148,315, issued February 21, 1939, to Daniel Wright.

Reflector lamps similar to that described in the above-referred-topatents have been proposed for vehicle headlighting purposes. Such lampscomprise a sealed glass envelope, consisting of two pressed glasssections sealed together by fusion, with one or more filamentsaccurately mounted within the envelope in definite relation to thereflecting surface thereof. "As an alternative for such glass reflectorlamps, it has also been proposed to use a headlight comprising a metalreflector member to which an electric incandescent lamp is rigidlysecured in such a way as to position the filament or filaments withinsaid lamp in definite relation to the reflecting surface of the metalreflector member.

To produce two difi'erent types of beams, one for city driving and theother for country driving, each headlight lamp is provided with twoseparate filaments which are adapted to be operated independently of oneanother. For this purpose, each lamp is provided with three con tacts orterminals, one of which is common to both filaments. However, because ofthe difference in the construction of the glass and the metal reflectorlamps, the three terminals of such lamps are, of necessity, located indifferent relation to one another. For this reason, it has been aproblem to provide suitable connector means for such lamps which willoperate interchangeably on either the glass or the metal reflectorlamps, and in addition will insure that the proper current supply wiresare connected to the proper terminals of the lamp. The problem wasfurther complicated by the fact that, while the connector had to bereadily detachable from the lamp to thereby facilitate lamp replacement,still a sufliciently positive and reliable contact be tween the lampterminals and the connector had to be provided in order to minimize thevoltage drop thereat.

One object of our invention is to provide connector means, forconnecting a plurality of cor-- rent-supply wires to the terminals of anelectrical device, which is simple in construction and can bemanufactured at relatively low cost.

Another object of our invention is to provide connector means forccnnecting a plurality or current supply wires to the terminals or anel'e trical device and which provides a positive and reliable contactwith said terminals while permittin'g ready disengagement therefrom.

Still another object of our invention is to provide connector means forconnecting three or more current-supply wires to a corresponding numberof terminals on an electrical device and which will co-cpe'rateinterchangeably with two difierently constructed electrical devices, theterminals of which are arranged differently.

Further objects and advantages of our inven* tion will appear from thefollowing description of a specie thereof and from the accompanyingdrawings in which:

Fig. 1 is a perspective View or the connector means comprising ourinvention with the connector shown in position preparatory to its attachment to a glass reflector lamp; Fig. 2 is a side view of theconnector showing the sam'e'at tached to the lamp shown in Fig. 1; Fig.3 is a front view of the connector likewise showing the same attached tothe lamp shown in Fig. '1; Fig.4 is a front view of the connectorillustrating the same in position preparatory to its attachment to ametal reflector lamp; and Fig. 5 is a side elevation of the connectorshowing the same attached to a metal reflector lamp.

Referring to the drawing, Fig. 1 shows the con= nector 10 comprising ourinvention in positien preparatory to its attachment to a glass reflectorlamp of the type described and claimed in the above-mentioned UnitedStates Patents Nos. 2,148,314 and 2,148,315. Such lamps comprise a glassbulb l l consisting of a pressed glass reflector section [2 and a coverglass section "(not shown) sealed together at their rims by fusion.Within the bulb H are mounted a pair of fila- "merits (not shown) whichare connected by leadihg-i-n wires to outwardly projecting terminalposts 13, 14-. and 15, three such terminal posts being provided in orderto permit independent operation of each filament. For this purpose, oneof the terminal posts 13 is common to both of the filaments. Theterminal posts extend through suitable openings in the reflector sectionl2, and are secured to said section by means of metallic skirt portions16 which are made of a metal comm'ercially known as Fe'rnico and whichare sunk and embedded in the thickness of the glass surrounding saidopenings. As shown in the drawing, the three terminal posts l3, l4 andI5 extend parallel to the axis of the lamp and are spaced equidistanttherefrom and preferably at anglesof 90 about said axis so as to bedisposed in equilateral triangular formation. The three terminal postsl3, l4 and [5 are provided with threaded holes, extending longitudinallyof the lamp axis, into which attachment or binding screws l1 arethreaded.

Fig. 4 illustrates the connector I0 according to our invention arrangedin posit-ion preparatory to its attachment to a metal reflector lamp.Such lamps comprise a metal reflector section [8 secured to the base IQof a small electric incandescent lamp 2!], such as by soldering. Thesaid lamp is provided with a pair of filaments 2|, 22, and the metalreflector I8 is secured to the lamp in definite optical relationship tosuch filaments. The end of the lamp base 19 is provided with aninsulating member or disc 23 of suitable material, such as Bakelite, towhich three contact members 24, 25 and 26 are secured. The filaments 2|,22 are connected by leading-in wires 21 to the lamp contacts 24, 25 and26, the contact 24 being common to both filaments. Like the contactposts l3, l4 and. 15 on the glass reflector lamp shown in Fig. l, thethree contact members 24, 25 and 26 are each provided with a threadedhole, extending longitudinally of the lamp axis, into which attachmentor binding screws 28 are threaded.

The connector ID for co-operation with the terminal contacts of both thelamps described above comprises a group of three elongated plateshapedcontact prongs or fingers 29, 30 and 3| secured by screws 32 to a block33 of suitable insulating material, such as fibre or Bakelite. The saidprongs are mounted on the insulating member 33 so as to lie side-by-sidein a common plane and extend in the same general direction. 4

The three prongs 29, 30 and, 3| are connected at corresponding ends tothe current -supply wires 34, 35 and 36 respectively, prong 23 beingconnected to the common lead wire 34. The opposite ends of the contactprongs are suitably slotted so that they may be slid under the heads ofeither the binding screws l1 or the binding screws 28. For this purpose,the intermediate or central contact prong 39 is provided with a singleslot 31, while the two side prongs 29 and 3| are each provided with twoslots consisting of an inner slot 38 and an outer slot 39. Allof theseslots extend parallel to each other and longitudinally of said prongs.As shown particularly in Figs. 1 and 3, the two outer slots 39 in theside contact prongs 29 and 31 are spaced the same distance from thesingle slot 31 in the intermediate prong 30 as that of the side lampterminals I3 and 15 from the intermediate terminal l4. Likewise, asshown in Fig. 4, the two inner slots 38 in the side contact prongs 29and 31 are spaced the same distance from the single slot 31 in theintermediate prong 39 as that of the binding screws 28 in the two sidelamp terminals 24 and 26 from the screw in the intermediate terminal 25.

To attach the connector 19 to the glass reflector lamp (Figs. 1-3), theintermediate slot 31 and the two outer slots 39 are first aligned withthe three terminals I3, l4 and [5 of the lamp, and the three contactprongs 29, 30 and 3| then slid between the said terminals and the headsof the binding screws l1 thereon. By tightening the said screws 11, theconnector is thus firmly secured to the lamp. Similarly, to attach theconnector ID to the metal reflector lamp (Figs. 4 and 5) theintermediate slot 31 and the two inner slots 38 are first aligned'withthe three binding screws 28 on the lamp, whereupon the three contactprongs are slid under the heads of such screws and the latter thentightened to firmly secure the connector to the lamp.

It is thus evident that by the provision of the two slots 38, 39 in eachof the two side contact prongs 29 and 3|, the connector l0 according toour invention will co-operate interchangeably with the glass reflectorlamp shown in Figs. 1 to 3 and the metal reflector lamp shown in Figs. 4and 5. The binding screws 11 or 28, as the case may be, securely clampthe connector bus bars and the lamp terminals together so as to providea positive and reliable contact therebetween, thus minimizing thevoltage drop at such points of connection. This is of particularimportance in view of the relatively low voltage at which the lampsreferred to are operated. Furthermore, by providing two or more of theconnector contact prongs with two or more slots, the connector can beadapted to co-operate interchangeably with a variety of differentbinding or terminal post arrangements.

It is obvious that, in order to slide the connector contact prongs 29,30 and 3| under the heads of the binding screws I1 or 28, the latterhave to be loosened somewhat. To provide a temporary securing meansserving to hold the connector I!) in correct assembled position on thelamp terminals while the binding screws are being tightened, the slottedend of the intermediate contact prong 30 is bent over to provide twolips 49, 40 which are adapted to hook over the lamp terminals and engagethe cylindrical side portions thereof, as shown in Figs. 2 and 5. Inthis manner, the person attaching the connector to thelamp has bothhands free to work with, one to hold the lamp and the other to operate ascrew driver to tighten the binding screws l1 or 28.

The connection means described hereinabove is simple in construction andcan be manufactured at relatively low cost. Furthermore, even though theconnector l9 provides a positive and reliable contact with the lampterminals, still it is readily detachable therefrom so that lampreplacements can be made in a comparatively simple manner. In thisconnection, the connector according to the invention insures that theproper current-supply wires are connected to the proper lamp terminalswhenever such lamp replacements are made.

What we claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent of theUnited States is:

1. An electrical connector comprising a member of insulating material,and a plurality of elongated plate-shaped contact prongs secured to saidinsulating member in side-by-side relation so as to extend approximatelyin the same direction, one of said prongs having one of its endsprovided with a longitudinally extending slot, and each of a pair ofprongs on opposite sides of said one prong having a corresponding endprovided with at least two longitudinally extending slots inpredetermined side-by-side relationship.

2. An electrical connector comprising a member of insulating material,and a group of three elongated plate-shaped contact prongs secured tosaid insulating member in side-by-side relation so as to lie in the sameplane and extend approximately in the same direction, the intermediateprong of said group of prongs having one of its ends provided with alongitudinally extending slot, and each of the two side prongs of saidgroup of prongs having a corresponding end provided with at least twolongitudinally extending slots.

3. An electrical connector comprising'a member of insulating material,and a group of three elongated plate-shaped contact prongs secured tosaid insulating member in side-by-side relation so as to lie in the sameplane and extend approximately in the same direction, the intermediateprong of said group of prongs having one of its ends provided with alongitudinally extending slot, and each of the two side prongs of saidgroup of prongs having a pair of longitudinally extending slotscomprising an inner and an outer slot, the said inner slots beingsymmetrically located with respect to the single slot in theintermediate prong, and the said outer slots also being symmetricallylocated with respect to the said single slot in the said intermediateprong.

4. An electrical connector comprising a member of insulating material,and a group of three elongated plate-shaped contact prongs secured tosaid insulating member in side-by-side relation so as to lie in the sameplane and extend approximately in the same direction, the intermediateprong of said group of prongs having one of its ends provided with alongitudinally extending slot, and each of the two side prongs of saidgroup of prongs having a corresponding end provided with a pair oflongitudinally extending slots comprising an inner and an outer slot,the said inner slots being symmetrically 10- t

